Presence-based seamless messaging

• US 7,664,814 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Little, Charles Reeves II
• Primary Examiner(s): Bruckart; Benjamin R
• Application Number:
  US10/828,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,128 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 709217-219, 715733-749, 715/752
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Subject matter includes systems and methods for presence-based messaging. In one implementation an engine detects the real-time presence of a potential message recipient who can be reached via a communications medium that a sender composing a message is not currently using. The engine can either transition to an environment for composing and sending the message using the detected presence-based communications medium or offer the sender a choice of switching to the presence-based communication medium.

Claims

1. A presence-based seamless messaging method, comprising:

from within a computing environment executing on a processor and configured for sending a message via a user interface associated with a first communications medium, detecting a current live presence of a potential message recipient who can be reached via a second communications medium;

running contemporaneously multiple communications programs for accessing the first and second communications media to allow instantly sending a message via one of the communications programs;

transforming the user interface to include an option of using the second communications medium;

activating the second communications medium in response to the detecting;

displaying a one-click control option for transitioning message delivery and message composition to the second communications medium when the potential recipient is present to the second communications medium;

removing display of the one-click control option when the potential recipient becomes non-present to the second communication medium;

transferring automatically upon actuation of the one-click control option at least part of an unsent message from a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium to a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium when the first communications medium becomes unavailable; and

transferring automatically upon actuation of the one-click control option at least part of an unsent message from a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium to a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium when the second communications medium becomes unavailable.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transitioning to a user interface for the second communications medium in response to the detecting.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transitioning to a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium in response to the detecting of the real-time presence.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising offering a choice of sending the message to the potential recipient via the second communications medium.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a dynamic menu of message transfer options including an option to send the message via the second communications medium.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the number of message transfer options on the dynamic menu depends on the number of communications media to which a potential recipient is present.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the detecting includes sensing presence of multiple potential recipients, each present to one or more communications media;

invoking multiple communications media in response to the detecting; and

sending the message to each of the multiple potential recipients via a communication medium to which a respective potential recipient is present.

8. A presence-based seamless messaging system, comprising:

a computing device means comprising a processor means configured for detecting a current live presence of a potential message recipient, prior to sending a message, who can be reached via a second communications medium from within an application program for using a first communications medium;

means associated with the computing device for using the second communications medium in response to detecting the presence of the potential recipient;

means associated with the computing device for changing a first user interface associated with the first communications medium to a second user interface associated with the second communications medium;

means associated with the computing device for sending a message via the second communications medium;

means associated with the computing device for displaying a single one-click button for selecting both means for composing a message and means for delivering the message according to the second communications medium if the potential recipient is present to the second communications medium;

means associated with the computing device for removing display of the single one-click button if the potential recipient is not present with regard to the second communications medium;

means associated with the computing device for transferring automatically upon actuation of the on-click button at least part of an unsent message from a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium to a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium when the first communications medium becomes unavailable; and

means associated with the computing device for transferring automatically upon actuation of the on-click button at least part of an unsent message from a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium to a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium when the second communications medium becomes unavailable.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the means associated with the computing device for changing a first user interface includes means for changing a first message composition environment associated with the first communications medium to a second message composition environment associated with the second communications medium.

10. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising means associated with the computing device for displaying a dynamic menu of message sending and reply options based on presence of potential recipients to communications media associated with the sending and reply options listed in the dynamic menu.

11. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising means associated with the computing device for transferring at least part of an unsent message to a communications medium for which a potential recipient is newly present.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising means associated with the computing device for transferring at least part of the unsent message to a message editor associated with the communications medium for which the potential recipient is newly present.

13. A presence-based seamless messaging system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor;

a media transition engine configured to execute on the processor the media transition engine comprising;

media detector to determine communications media periodically available to a potential recipient of a message;

presence detector to sense a current live presence of the potential recipient, wherein the presence includes a current ability of the potential recipient to receive the message via one of the detected communications media including at least a first communications media and a second communications media;

media integrator to render available for immediate use each communications medium for which the potential recipient is present;

user interface transition engine to;

display a one-click control option and switch a current user interface from a first user interface for the first communications media to a second user interface associated with the second communications medium for which the potential recipient is present upon actuation of the one-click control option; and

remove the one-click control option when the potential recipient is not present in the second communications medium,

and wherein when the potential recipient becomes non-present or the second communications medium becomes unavailable during composition of the message, at least part of an unsent message is automatically transferred from the first user interface to the second user interface upon actuation of the one-click control button.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the media integrator sends the message via a communications medium for which the potential recipient is present.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the media detector uses one or more address book databases.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, further comprising a menu controller to display and update a dynamic menu of communications media options.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the dynamic menu offers a selection of communications media by which a message can be composed and sent and for which the potential recipient is present.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the dynamic menu offers an instant reply option for multiple potential recipients, wherein potential recipients present to instant messaging are initiated into a group chat, potential recipients present to communications media but not present to instant messaging are sent the message by a communications medium for which they are present, and potential recipients not present to any communications media are sent the message via email by default.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, further comprising a single user-control button for initiating messaging via a medium for which the recipient is present, wherein the single user-control button appears in response to presence of the potential recipient and disappears in response to non-presence of the potential recipient.

20. A computer memory storage device containing instructions that are executable by a computer to perform actions comprising:

during composition of a message to be sent using a first communications medium, detecting a real-time presence of a potential message recipient prior to sending the message who can be reached via a second communications medium;

offering a choice via a one-click control option of using the second communications medium instead of the first communications medium; and

removing the one-click control option when the potential message recipient becomes unavailable in the second communications medium, wherein when the potential message recipient becomes non-present in the second communications medium during message composition, automatically transferring at least a part of the unsent message into a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium upon actuation of the one-click option.

21. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 20, further comprising instructions to change to a user interface for the second communications medium in response to selecting the second communications medium instead of the first communications medium.

22. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 21, further comprising instructions to transfer at least part of an unsent message to a message composition area of the user interface for the second communications medium.

23. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 20, further comprising instructions to display a dynamic menu of communications media available for message delivery, wherein the potential message recipient is present to each medium in the dynamic menu.

24. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 20, wherein an email environment offers a menu of alternate communications media for which the potential message recipient is present in real-time.

25. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 24, wherein the email environment changes to a messaging environment of one of the alternate communications media in response to a user selecting one of the alternate communications media.

26. The computer memory storage device as recited in claim 24, wherein the email environment opens a messaging environment pane associated with one of the alternate communications media in response to a user selecting one of the alternate communications media.

27. A presence-based seamless messaging system, comprising:

a computing device comprising a processor;

a recipient-controlled media transition engine configured to execute on the processor, including;

a media detector to dynamically determine communications media presently available to a recipient of a message including a first communication medium and a second communications medium, wherein presently available denotes that the recipient is currently present to the communications media;

a dynamic menu for the recipient to specify one of the communications media;

a one-click control option to be displayed when the recipient is presently available in the second communication medium and to be removed when the recipient becomes unavailable in the second communication medium, the one-click control option configured to use the second communications media instead of the first communications media; and

wherein when potential recipient becomes non-present in the second communications medium during message composition, at least a part of the unsent message is configured to be automatically transferred into a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium upon actuation of the one-click control option; and

a media integrator to transfer a message from a sender to the recipient instantly via the specified communications medium.

28. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein a user interface transition engine changes the sender'"'"'s current message composing environment to a different message composing environment associated with the communications medium specified by the potential recipient.

29. The system as recited in claim 27, wherein a user interface transition engine transfers at least part of an unsent message to the message composing environment associated with the communications medium specified by the potential recipient.

30. A presence-based seamless messaging method, comprising:

detecting, from within a computing environment executing on a processor prior to sending a message via a first communications medium, a presence of a potential message recipient who can be reached via a second communications medium;

presenting a user interface for selecting at least part of an unsent message from a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium; and

automatically invoking the second communications medium in response to the detecting, wherein the selected part of the unsent message is transferred to a message composition environment associated with the second communications medium; and

wherein the user interface includes a one-click control option displayed when the potential message recipient is present in the second communication medium and removed when the potential message recipient is non-present in the second communication medium, the one-click control option configured to select the second communication medium and

wherein when the potential message recipient becomes non-present in the second communications medium during message composition, upon actuation of the one-click control option, automatically transferring at least a part of the unsent message into a message composition environment associated with the first communications medium.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, further comprising offering a menu of presence-based communications options whenever text is selected using the user interface for selecting at least part of an unsent message.